The talented Barcelona forward beat last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place in the poll for Europe’s footballer of the year, organised by France Football magazine.

Messi, 22, becomes the sixth Barcelona player to take the award but the first for four years - since Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho.

Messi recently signed a two-year contract extension with the European champions until 2016 - an improved deal which includes a buy-out clause worth 250million euros.

The Argentinian won an unprecedented treble last season as the Catalan side won the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.

Messi was the top scorer in last year’s Champions League with nine goals, including a header in the 2-0 final defeat of Manchester United in Rome.

Messi told France Football: 'There’s lots of emotion - the Ballon d’Or is very important for me. I know I appeared among the favourites because Barcelona had a profitable year.

‘For me it’s a big honour to win - but also to become the first Argentinian in history to receive the trophy. I dedicate it to my family, they were always present when I needed them and sometimes felt even stronger emotions than me.’

Messi polled 473 votes, more than double the number Real Madrid’s Ronaldo totalled (233) and 27 more than the impressive number the Portuguese international managed in winning last year’s award.

Ronaldo was the only non-Barcelona player in the top four, with Xavi (170) and Andres Iniesta (149) next in the list.

Interesting comment in Sid Lowe’s preview of the game at the weekend that every winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award since 1996 has played for Barca or Real Madrid either while winning the award or immediately afterwards.

No offence to Nedved but there was a real shortage in pure world class talent at the start of this decade. Owen wasn’t brilliant in 2001 and Ronaldo had a great world cup in 2002 but he’d played fuck all matches in two years just before then.

Messi joined Bara at the age of 13. His innate talent combined with a consistent style of football have created an incredible player. The first Golden Ball to emerge from the Bara academy.
But it wasnt an easy ride for the young Leo Messi. After just two matches with infantil B, he suffered a serious ankle injury that kept him on the sidelines for the rest of the season. He then missed half the following season due to an appeal by his former club, Newells Old Boys in Argentina, which delayed the arrival of his international transfer.

Those difficulties, combined with the brusque change from his hometown of Rosario to Barcelona, were a tremendous obstacle to overcome for a shy and reserved youngster.

The breakthrough
The international transfer eventually came through and the 2002-03 season was a turning point in his career. He was a vital element in the cadet A side that won everything going and where he coincided with Piqu and Cesc.

Messi started the following season in juvenil B, but his talent was so outstanding that he was moved up a category. That year he moved to juvenil A, to Bara C and to Bara B. And to round off a fantastic year he made his first team debut in a friendly against Porto. The sky was the limit for Leo Messi.

Albert Benaiges, currently Baras coordinator of youth football, told Bara TV: That achievement is a lesson for all players. Ive never seen anyone with such humility and good taste for playing football who accepts to play where hes told without ever protesting and with such happiness and love for the Club.

A long awaited moment
Leo Messi will never forget 2004. On 16th October, in a local derby against Espanyol, Leo Messi finally made his first team competitive debut. Two months later on 7th December, he played his first Champions League match in the cold of the Ukraine against Shakhtar Donetsk. Then he scored his first senior goal against Albacete. The Messi era had begun.

I think it’s a lot like playing for TFK Astro Reserves. A mixture of young kids and some lesser players (such as Tinnion) but a commitment to the ethos of TFK.

Ah, that makes it clear.
Personally the weather would swing it for me down to Barca, but only just.

Do you think you’d get some handy part time work as well while you togged out for Barca C’s?

Messi is better than Zlatan, but there is no shame in that. What a strike force, when they get used to each other it could be the end of European football as we know it. Awful shame they got rid of Eto though, i’d like to see that front 3.

Eto’o doesn’t belong in the same company as Messi and Zlatan and Guardiola rightly moved him on. I don’t think Messi’s reached the heights of the last couple of seasons so far in this campaign but he’s still been a cut above almost everyone else and thoroughly deserved the award in any case for his achievements in the latter half of last season.

Eto’o doesn’t belong in the same company as Messi and Zlatan and Guardiola rightly moved him on. I don’t think Messi’s reached the heights of the last couple of seasons so far in this campaign but he’s still been a cut above almost everyone else and thoroughly deserved the award in any case for his achievements in the latter half of last season.

how has the centre half bought from shaktar played so far?..is he injured at the moment?..never really seen him play…

I wouldn’t have said he was either specific type really - he always struck me as being very good positionally who was generally in the right place to make interceptions. Good in the tackle, pretty commanding without being a blatant bruiser, decent in the air and good on the turn. He’s looked sluggish on a few different occasions for Barca though and has punted the ball away a bit too. The latter should improve with time once he realises Xavi, Iniesta et al are completely comfortable receiving the ball to feet even when some cunt is practically up on their back. It’s the pace issue that stood out for me, however.

No offence to Nedved but there was a real shortage in pure world class talent at the start of this decade. Owen wasn’t brilliant in 2001 and Ronaldo had a great world cup in 2002 but he’d played fuck all matches in two years just before then.

I’d have expected Zidane to have won it more than once.[/quote]

I’d agree with that.

I would also say that Nedved, while a very good footballer, was not at that very highest level.